The invention generally relates to a free-standing electrical outlet system with a protective cover for managing electrical cords.
Many work environments require the use of multiple electrical outlets in a small space to provide electricity to various electrical devices. As is well known, electric outlets, electric plugs and electric cords pose a danger to people and, in particular, to young children. These risks range from electrical shock from improper handling of the plugs and outlets to the inadvertent entanglement with cords with the result that the electrical devices may fall causing injury to a person or damage to equipment. In an environment where there are many outlets, such as around computers, this danger is particularly acute.
Another risk from exposed outlets is that contaminating debris and liquids may cause an electrical short or electrical fire if the contaminants get into exposed outlets.
The prior art reveals various devices to address some of the safety needs required to prevent or minimize the above hazards. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,899,761 and 5,906,517 each teach electrical power bars with electrical outlets and covers for the power bars. Although these patents teach covering the outlets, such devices require a substantial amount of space on a desktop and do not provide a system for managing the cords of electrical devices plugged into the outlets. Further, these patents do not teach protecting electrical outlets from liquids.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,228 discloses an electrical power bar housed in a rectangular structure. Although this patent also teaches covering the electrical outlets, it requires a large amount of space on a desktop and does not teach covering the electrical outlets from various contaminants and in particular liquids which could potentially seep between its cover and hinge.
Accordingly, although the prior art teaches various structures for housing and covering outlets, the prior art does not provide a tower system which provides numerous electrical outlets and which manages the cords of plugged-in devices within a small space.
Accordingly, and in order to address the above problems and the deficiencies in the prior art, there has been a need for an electrical outlet and cord system providing:
1. a free-standing tower which reduces the surface area required for numerous electrical outlets on a floor or desktop;
2. a cover which protects people and, in particular, children from electrical outlets;
3. a cover which protects electrical outlets from contamination by debris and liquids; and
4. a cord management system which minimizes the risks to people and equipment from disorganized cords by providing an effective system for storing and organizing electrical cords associated with multiple electrical devices.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided an electrical outlet and cord management system for operative connection to a mains power supply or a data source comprising:
a tower including a base and at least one electrical outlet for selective connection of at least one electrical device having an electrical cord; and
a cover for selective connection to the tower; the cover for covering at least one electrical outlet and electrical cord and for containing and managing the electrical cord.
In a more specific embodiment, there is provided an electrical outlet and cord management system for operative connection to a mains power supply or a data source comprising:
a tower including a base having a diameter wider than the tower and a plurality of electrical outlets for selective connection of electrical devices having electrical cords; and,
a cover extending from the top of the tower to the base and defining a gap between the cover and the base when the cover is attached to the base; the cover for selective and operative connection to the tower and for containing and managing the electrical cord.